I want to share God’s blessed and holy Word with you today and I pray it blesses you like never before, grow you from one level of grace to a higher level, manifest the wisdom of God through you and help the Church get God’s perfect thought about His Word. Amen.
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:1 KJV
Paul wanted to speak to them as unto spiritual, but he did as unto carnal. Why? As a minister of God, we don’t just take what God has given to us and pour it on the people. We minister to them:
1. Exactly as God leads.
2. According to their level of comprehension. You don’t minister above what they can grasp.
In Jude 1:3, we see how Jude’s message changed from “The common salvation” to “Contending for the Faith.” We can, of the Spirit, want to do a thing, and of the Spirit, do another, depending on the individual that needs to hear the message.
The word, carnal, as used by Paul, is the Greek word, _sarkikos_ which refers to as pertaining to flesh. So, Paul spoke to them as pertaining flesh.
In 1 Corinthians 1:29 Paul said, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” Why then was he speaking to them as unto flesh? Because they are fleshy. And because they’re fleshy, they cannot understand the things of the Spirit.
he has enriched your whole life. He has helped you speak out for him and has given you a full understanding of the truth; what I told you Christ could do for you has happened! Now you have every grace and blessing; every spiritual gift and power for doing his will are yours during this time of waiting for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:5-7 TLB
From Paul’s introduction, the people were graced, manifested the Spirit of God and also had understanding, yet he couldn’t speak unto them as spiritual. So what happened?
1 Peter 2:2 says, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” Hebrews 5:13 also says, “For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.” That means, babes cannot manage the things of the kingdom.
Thus, in chapter three, he could only speak to them as unto carnal. He also called them babes; babes with manifestations.
What makes you an adult isn’t spiritual gifts and manifestations, confirmation of testimonies or blessings that show up in your life but in your perfect dealings in the Word of righteousness.
Babies are not in the fullness of Christ because the milk of the Word doesn’t bring you into the Fullness of Christ; it creates a platform where you can begin to use the Word and start manifesting all of His fullness.
Anyone tossed to and fro is a child. Children are easily deceived; they fall for the sleight of men. Children fluctuates in their belief and are prone to backsliding. It doesn’t matter how much you sing the Word of God, if you aren’t growing in the Spirit, anything can take you away.
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
1 Corinthians 14:20 KJV
The Corinthian Church obviously had the understanding of children. They hear, but are very quick to forget. David told Solomon to be a man (1 Kings 1:2). This isn’t a gender thing but the state of heart – what he can handle, the things he can do.
“Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!” (Ecclesiastes 10:16). This is because children:
1. Cannot manage things properly.
2. Have poor initiative.
3. Cannot be consistent.
4. Cannot do great things.
Be a man in your understanding because not until you do, you can’t manifest great things or have them show up in your life. No great system is run or sustained by children.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Mathew 16:23 KJV
Children will always be offensive to you. Any member who always offends the Pastor is a child.
Earlier in that scripture, Jesus praised Peter for the revelation he spoke of, and now he’s being scolded. This explains that babes could speak of _ginosko_ but not of _epignosis._ _Epignosis_ is for the growing adults or adults in Christ. Little wonder scripture says that those that are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Romans 8:14). Sons _(uhios: mature sons)_ are the ones who are led by the Spirit. _Brephos_ and _nepios_ cannot be led of God because they wouldn’t know how to follow instructions.
In John 10:27, Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice. But we must understand that a sheep is NOT a lamb. When David, in Psalm 23:1 said, “The Lord is my shepherd,” he was saying, “The Lord is my shepherd and I am His sheep.” Sheep will not be in want. We see a lot of chriatians beg bread because they are still lambs. They are enjoying the milk of the Word and have refused to grow by reason of use (Hebrews 5:14).
Adults are consistent; they are not not praised today and rebuked tomorrow. Babes are tossed by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14).
Grow in the Word, mature in the usage of the Word, give the Word attention, commit yourself to the Word of the Spirit so that you can mature and be consistent, and that your salvation will not be threatened by happenings or things showing up and you cannot make real progress with God.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV
The natural man cannot receive the things of God and that was why Paul couldn’t share with them. To be carnally minded is death (Romans 8:6). No matter what you own as a child, you cannot maximise them, you cannot use them, neither can you be glorified of them (Galatians 4:1).
If we find envy, strife and division in your life, you’re carnal, no matter how long you’ve been in Church. Spiritual men will never have these fruits in their life.
Don’t measure people’s maturity by their manifestation of gifts. James 3:2 says that a perfect man is one who will not offend in speech. Spiritual people restore others in the spirit of meekness to the fullness of God (Galatians 6:1). They don’t condemn or destroy people. Paul was patient with them because they were babes.
If you want to grow better, give attention to the Word. If you want better things to show up in your life, become more mature. You can become the fullness of Christ.
Christianity becomes more interesting when we grow. As we mature, our lives begin to manifest the exactness of scriptures. This is the will of God for every believer; manifest as Christ and turn many to become as He is.
We have been called into the ministry of reconciliation. This doesn’t refer to restoring man who is quarrelling with God back to God because a new creature is never in a quarrel with God. Reconciling others is bringing them into the newness of Christ and then raise them up to the full manifestation of Christ. This is God’s highest purpose for the Christian (See, Ephesians 4:12).
God isn’t satisfied with you being a babe. He isn’t satisfied that you just go to Church and not grow; still manifesting like an unbeliever. He wants you to mature and be like Jesus. By this, Satan will become more frustrated and we will bring glory to God.
Don’t heap up experience without true manifestation of Christ of the Spirit (not of pretence). Christianity is not of works, but allowing the Holy Spirit to work out the will of God out of you and to help you manifest Christ (Philippians 2:13).
We believe and we speak what we believe, working it out in faith and manifesting the Word. It is not an overnight change, and this is why scripture says, “…behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s a gradual and obvious change.
If we truly conform to the Word, we will be excited at the end of the day when we bask in joy in eternity with Jesus.
Pastor Preston Idoro.
www.perfectlovebelieverscentre.org
Greatness isn’t for children.
Thank you Sir
This is so powerful, blessed me really much. Thank you Pastor
Growth is very important.
Interesting
Galatians 4:1 in other words. I am so blessed by this message. Thank You Pastor